BDSM as therapy?

When I started approaching my capstone project (which is like a mini-version of a thesis where no experiment is conducted) I knew that I wanted to do it on something kinky. One of the first articles I came across was from the journal Sexualities and entitled BDSM as therapy? Danielle Lindemann (2011) from Columbia University interviews 66 female pro-dommes with the intention of exploring the implications of erotic labor as a form of sex therapy. What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment below.

One of the most interesting arguments that the author (2011) presents as a reverse discourse which is reference to Foucault. Broken down it's the concept that if we consider D/s relationships as therapeutic, then as a result we are in fact participating in turning it into a disease of a kind. Another example is considering sex toys as 'therapeutic devices'. That we need these tools in order to resolve our problems, thus associating the practice of using sex toys as a remedy. What if we are just horny or wanting to celebrate life through self-pleasure?

Another experience the Lindemann (2011) shares is that people are already framing erotic labor as therapeutic, it is already happening that folks are paying for erotic labor with the intention of a therapeutic benefit. You might have to ask around and find the right fit for the type of therapeutic experience and connection that you're looking for, just as you would with a therapist, or a tattoo artist. The most therapeutic benefit that the researcher identified was the opportunity to share and engage in desires that are generally considered subversive by popular culture in a non-judgemental environment.

So what would the benefit of this non-judgemental experience be? I can speak from personal experience that this type of interaction helps relieve any shame that I might feel around this part of me. The result is that I can look at it and decide if there's a way to express this part of me that might be beneficial to me and potential others. Then it doesn't come out sideways and potentially harm someone else.

A couple of the pro-dommes from the article described a sense that the work that they do prevents some of their clients from committing horrible crimes as extreme as murder. That instead they were able to take that energy and create a safe, consensual, and sane outlet for it. I'm not sure what I think at this point, but I'm open to this idea. It sounds better than the current system for addressing sexual predation.

Anyone familiar with addiction knows that shame breeds further 'acting out' of the unwanted behaviours that the individual is inclined towards. How could the dispersion of shame be a bad thing? Comments? In my experience this an extremely connecting aspect of life to be witnessed in our vulnerability and share the things that we personally attach so much shame to. 

So does BDSM have the potential therapeutic? I'm leaning towards a yes myself.

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